Folding photographic camera



(No Model.)

G. F. E. PEARSALL.

FOLDING PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA.

No. 275,073. Patented Apr.3, 1883.

INVENTOE WITNESSES ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OEETcE.

G. FRANK E. PEARSALL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FOLDING PHOTOGRAPHlC AMERA SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 275,073, dated April 3, 1883.

Application tiled September 20. 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I G. FRANK E. PEAnsALL, of the city of Brooklyn, countyof Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Folding Photographic Cameras; and I do hereby declarethat the following specification, taken in connection with the drawingsannexed to and forming part of the same, furnishes a full and cleardescription of the invention, sufiicicnt to enable those skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and operate the same.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view in perspective of my improvedcameraclosed, with a portion cut away to exhibit the interior. Fig. 2 isa View in perspective of the same distended in position for operating.Fig. 3 is a view of Fig. 2 from beneath.

My invention has relation to folding or portable cameras, distinguishedfrom those intended for use in permanent position, and is designed tosimplify the movements and increase the capacity of said instruments,while at the same time economizing their bulk and expense ofconstruction. It furnishes a compact portable camera suitable for eitherprofessional or amateur work, and possessing several subordinatefeatures of value.

One portion of my invention consists in the arrangement of theplate-holder in such combination with the body of the camera that thesensitive plate may be removed by sliding it downward without theexposure to the light which is attendant upon its removal in the usualmode from above.

Another part of my invention consists in the combination of the bellowswith the lens-holder in such a manner as to prevent obstruction of thelens by the folds of the former during vertical adjustments of the lens.

In the drawings, A represents the body of the camera, to the inside ofwhich is attached in the usual manner the distensible bellows B.

The outer end of the bellows is attached to a sliding lens-holder, D,which latter moves vertically in a frame, 0, being secured by a set- (Xomodel.)

tion often resulted in the obscuration of the sensitive plate, caused bya fold of the bellows coming within the field, and this objection lovercame by making the bellows end move up or down with the lens-holder.

The frame (3 is made adjustable to move horizontally upon the ways 6 0.These ways are strips of wood fastened upon the inside of the board F.the frame 0 is held within the body A by the cleats 1', and the board1*, which is hinged at r c, turns up, and, fastened by a catch, it,forms an end or cover to the body A.

In the portable apparatus now most commonly used it is customary todistend the folding cameras by drawing the open end of the bellows backfrom the body on independent ways instead of moving the lens end of thebellows forward.

The frame 0, when pushed forward on the ways 0 e, is held firmly inposition by a thin metallic brace, i, one end of which, bent at anangle, is hinged to the top of the body A at the point a, while the freeend is slipped under the not or set-screw s at any convenient distance,and a rigid brace for the frame 0 formed by tightening said screw 8.This brace 4', when the frame U is closed back in the body A, falls downin front of the frame, and held at m by a button or equivalent, servesto keep the frame 0 steady in its position when the camera is closed, asshown in Fig. 1.

The body of the camera A forms the frame for holding the open end of thebellows, and is provided with the usual means of holding a sensitiveplate. It has also a roller, J, carrying a flexible screen for receivingthe image while adjusting the focus. The end or cover 13 is not fasteneddirectly to the body A, but is hinged to a strip, P, of the same lengthas the side of the camera. A holeis made through 1? at about its center,and a threaded bolt firmly attached to the center of the side N of thebody A protrudes through this hole in P and through the slotted leaf ofa hinge, K, atiixed to the cover F, receiving on its threaded end a nut,L, by which the strip P can be firmly bound to the lower side, N, of thebody A. This strip P is made narrower than the sides of the box orcamera-body A, leaving a space, as shown at T. This construction allowsthe W'hen the bellows are closed body A to be adjusted bya swing to theright or left around the bolt, and permits the slide of the plate-holderto be drawn downward at any reasonable angle of focal adjustment fromthe rear of A without any obstruction from beneath, thus avoiding therisk of light on the sensitive plate necessarily attendantupon thedrawing of the slide of a vertical plate-holder from the top, as hasalways heretofore been done. The pivoting of the side end upon the bolt,as heretofore described, enables the operator to adjust the plate byturning it to the right or left, while the hinges o v and K enable theplate to be tipped forward or back from the vertical position to anydesired angular adjustment. The joint of the hinge K is set farther outfrom the edge of the cover F than thejoint of the hinges v r, and thisconstruction causes the slotted leaf of K to travel back and forth alongthe bolt at L as the cover F is turned on the hinges 21 'v. The properand angular adjustments of the frame A, holding the plate, having beenmade, the nut K secures the box A from movement from right to leftaround the threaded bolt, as well as from a forward and backwardmovement, thus fast ening the adjustment of a double movement by asingle stop.

G is a box, open in front, which forms the cover for the body A at theside opposite F. Its end M projects so as to fill up the space left bythe narrowness of the strip P. This box G is provided with the usualmeans for holding the stock of glass plates for negatives, and when thecamera is closed isfastened to the body A by books at or equivalentmeans. When the camerais distended for use the box G is entirelydetached from the camera A by loosening the catches m at top and bottom.When the cover G is attached to the closed camera the cover F is turnedup and fastened by the catch a, and a compact box is formed, which maybe easily carried by a strap or handle at the top.

A tripod of any suitable construction may be used to hold the cameraduring an operaassets tion, and when the same is concluded the camera isreadily closed in the following manner, viz: The nut S being loosenedfrees the lensframe 0, which is pushed back along the ways 0 e, andunder the cleats i in the box A, the bellows folding iirbehind it. Thebrace r, dropping down to the button 00, holds the frame 0 in place, andthe loosening of the nut L allows the cover F to be folded up and heldin place by the catch n. The tightening of the nut L then holds thestrip P firmly in place against N. The box Gis then placed upon theother side and fastened by the catches on on opposite edges, completingthe closed apparatus, as shown in Fig. 1.

Having thus described my improved camera, I do not broadly claim to bethe inventor of folding cameras; but

What Iclaim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,isi 1. In a photographic camera, the combination of the frame A forcarrying a sensitive plate, and provided with a pivot at L, with thestrip P, hinged to the bed on which the lens is supported, and providedwith supplemental hinge K and nut L, controlling the double-swingmotions of the plate-holder, substantiall y as and for the purposesdescribed.

2. In a folding photographic camera, the combination of the lens-holderD and bellows B with a frame, A, for holding sensitive plate, andsupport P, constructed with an opening, T, at the bottom, to enable theremoval of the slide of the plate-holder from below, substantially asand for the purposes described.

3. A folding camera consisting of central portion, A, for inclosing thebellows, lens,and plate-holder, the cover G for carrying the stock ofplates, and the cover F to form a bed for the extended lens-holder,constructed substan tially as and for the purposes described.

Gr. F tANK E. PEARSALL.

Witnesses:

H. P. RUssnLL,

J. PARTRIDGE.

